
In a far‑flung corner of the galaxy, the Terran Empire keeps the peace not through conquest but by a fragile agreement with the worlds it governs. On Wolf, a dying world lit by the weak glow of its ancient sun, the delicate balance is tested when a desperate chase erupts in the city’s dusty streets, drawing the attention of the Empire’s secret service. Race Cargill, a sharp‑witted operative, is dispatched to uncover the truth behind a mysterious thief and the angry mob that pursues him.
As Cargill steps through the towering gates of the Terran headquarters, he finds himself caught between alien customs, native grudges, and his own loyalty to Terra. The tension builds quickly, with stone‑throwing crowds and a strange, cloaked figure darting through the alleys, hinting at deeper unrest beneath the planet’s calm surface. Listeners will be drawn into a world where political intrigue and personal duty collide, setting the stage for a high‑stakes adventure across the stars.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (232K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Gregory D. Weeks, Jason Isbell, Irma Spehar and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2006-11-06
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1930–1999
Best known for blending fantasy and science fiction in richly imagined worlds, this American writer created enduring series including Darkover and the Avalon books. Her career stretched across decades, with work that helped shape modern speculative fiction.
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